Clean Nail Etiquette: Why It’s All About Shorter Length And Nail Brushes

Long nails have spiked in popularity over the last years. Think of the lengthy talons exhibited on the last couple of seasons of Love Island, the stiletto-tipped manicures that hit the runway at Rag & Bone and Halpern this A/W '20 Fashion Week, and the manis that the likes of Lady Gaga and Rihanna have been flaunting on the red carpet for a good decade. Whilst they're obviously an eye-catching look, could this new love of long nails be a tad unsanitary?

Now more than ever, our focus is trained on maintaining a sanitary lifestyle. We've bought the hand sanitiser, we've ensured we're on top of our cleaning products, and now it's time to think about our nails. It turns out that a longer manicure could play home to more bacteria than a shorter one. When nail salons up and down the country are offering up short nail designs as gorgeous as Townhouse's new SS20 collection, it might be time to consider the chop. Need a bit more persuading? You asked for it...

The Lowdown

Way back in 1988 a study by the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Dermatology cited the space underneath fingernails as 'an important site' for the collection of bacteria. According to the study, the combination of protection afforded by the nail, and level of moisture makes it the perfect environment - who knew? Just to hammer it home, a similar study conducted just a year after in 1989 on nurses wearing artificial nails, proved that they carried more bacteria on their nails than their au naturel colleagues.

All things considered, now might be the time to commit to losing a bit of length and investing in a decent nail brush. Sift through our gallery of short nail looks for a beautiful dose of inspiration.

Browse: 10 Of The Best Short Nail Looks On Pinterest

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